South-east Asia

Asean+3 growth to ease slightly in 2026 amid external uncertainty: Amro

Key downside risks include more tariffs, a global tech slowdown and financial market volatility

The won turned higher after President Lee Jae Myung’s comments to strengthen as much as 0.5 per cent to 1,468.8 per dollar, after touching earlier in the session its weakest level since Dec 24.

South Korea’s Lee sees won strengthening to 1,400 level in a month or two

[SEOUL] South Korean authorities expect the won to strengthen to around the 1,400 per dollar level in a month or two, although domestic policies alone will not be able to stabilise foreign exchange ma...

Boys play near rubbish, most of which are plastics, in the coastal settlements of Tanjung Uma, Batam, Riau Islands province, Indonesia.

Can China’s incinerator model offer a solution to South-east Asia’s trash problem?

Chinese firms are now pitching modern plants to South-east Asia to solve looming landfill crises

RedNote's rapid growth in South-east Asia is shaping local shopping behaviours and driving the digital agency market's expansion in the region, says the writer.

What RedNote’s rise means for Beijing’s soft power in South-east Asia

The firm must address concerns about the social media app’s potential security risks in its No 2 market

The IPO of Fore Coffee, a tech-driven coffee chain in Indonesia, threw the spotlight on the growing depth of domestic capital markets and reduced reliance on overseas exits.

From reset to readiness: South-east Asian capital markets in 2026

The year 2025 offered early signals on AI, governance and liquidity, showing where disciplined capital is heading next

Sources say SGX has discussed introducing the futures for countries including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.

Singapore Exchange proposes bond futures for India, South-east Asia

Discussions reflect growing interest in the region’s debt markets

Apac is perceived as the next frontier for search fund growth, with observers citing its favourable demographics: baby-boomer business owners approaching retirement without successors.
BRUNCH

‘Search funds’ to buy SMEs spring up in the Asia-Pacific, but will they succeed?

Australia and Japan lead in successful acquisitions, while search funds are emerging elsewhere

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (right) with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the ceremonial handover of the Asean chairmanship last October. The archipelago has a bold economic agenda, but its ability to deliver may be tested by domestic headwinds.

Inside the Philippines’ stacked agenda to steer Asean’s trillion-dollar economy

Trade and Industry Department Undersecretary Allan Gepty speaks to BT on Manila’s priorities as chair of the bloc

Drawn by cheap valuations and the need to diversify portfolios, foreign funds have poured US$337 million into South-east Asia’s emerging markets in December.

Return of global funds puts South-east Asia in spotlight for 2026

Markets in Indonesia and Thailand have led the way in luring investors back

The South-east Asian neighbours have been locked in fierce border clashes for weeks.

Thailand and Cambodia sign ceasefire agreement to halt fierce border conflict

It ends 20 days of fighting that has killed at least 101 people and displaced more than 500,000